A variety of displays are used to attract the attention of consumers. Illumination of these displays is often provided by incandescent or fluorescent lighting systems which are expensive to construct and operate.
In order to provide lower cost illumination of displays (which, as used herein, also includes signs, billboards, other types of signage and the like), newer, lower cost illumination devices may be used. For example, one type of display device in use today uses electroluminescence (EL) technology to emit light, thereby featuring an image. Illumination of the display device is accomplished by placing alternating electric fields across a layer of electroluminescent material that is sandwiched between a transparent conductor layer and a second conductor layer usually with an intervening dielectric to prevent voltage breakdown.
A translucent substrate containing an image printable layer may be applied to an electroluminescent substrate containing the electroluminescent material and an image may be printed on the image printable layer. Upon activation of the electroluminescent material, the image is illuminated. Construction of one such electroluminescent media is described for example in U.S. Publication No. 2002/0090495, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Conventional electroluminescent displays are typically highly customized. Hence, everything from the display device to any related driving electronics is unique to a particular end use of the display. Thus, the user's ability to implement changes to the display is limited and changes or alterations of the display may be extremely costly.
Another disadvantage of conventional electroluminescent displays is that such displays usually require illumination of the entire electroluminescent media at one time. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide displays with selective illumination or displays having the appearance of motion. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved electroluminescent display systems.
With regard to the foregoing needs, an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure provides a display including an electroluminescent (EL) material, conductor layers, and a reflective image formed by a pattern of imaging substance applied adjacent at least one of the conductor layers. The EL material is between at least two of the conductor layers, and at least one of the conductor layers is applied adjacent the EL material in a pattern to form a conductive image. Upon application of an operational potential to the at least two of the conductor layers having the EL material therebetween, the display can be illuminated in an area corresponding to the conductive image.
Another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure provides a method for making a display comprising an electroluminescent (EL) material and conductor layers, wherein the EL material is between at least two of the conductor layers. The method involves applying imaging substance in a pattern adjacent at least one of the conductor layers to form a reflective image. At least one of the conductor layers is applied adjacent the EL material in a pattern to form a conductive image. Upon application of an operational potential to the at least two of the conductor layers having the EL material therebetween, the display can be illuminated in an area corresponding to the conductive image.
An advantage of at least some of the foregoing embodiments is that customized displays using EL materials may be made at a customer's site using relatively inexpensive imaging apparatus, such as printers. Since designs may be created quickly on a computer and printed with relative ease on a second substrate such as paper, such displays may be fabricated quickly and at less cost than with slower depositing techniques that require blanket EL layers. Hence, the embodiments described herein may provide displays and signage that enable a wider range of design features and improved interchangeability of the displays.